MICHIGAN: Marriage Attorneys Petition State For $2 Million In Compensation

The six lawyers who worked on the case against Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage are asking for nearly $2 million from the state to cover some of their fees. In all, the six attorneys - Carole Stanyar, Dana Nessel, Kenneth Mogill, Robert Sedler, Mary Bonauto and Vickie Henry - said the total calculation came to $1,927,450 for their fees. Every attorney charged $350 an hour, with three of them putting in over 1,000 hours of work each in the case. Though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of their case, there is a provision through what is called the private attorney general doctrine that not only makes it, "possible for non-affluent litigants to obtain legal representation, but to reward attorneys whose services has benefited the public interest."

The attorneys say their work on the marriage case made it impossible to take other cases for the last three years. See their filing.